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Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warnings:
Graphic Depictions Of ViolenceMajor Character Death
Category:
F/M
Fandoms:
無職転生 ～異世界行ったら本気だす～ | Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu | Jobless Reincarnation (Anime)呪術廻戦 | Jujutsu Kaisen (Anime)
Characters:
Fushiguro TojiFushiguro Toji's Worm Cursed SpiritSylphiette (Mushoku Tensei)Paul GreyratZenith GreyratLilia GreyratRoxy Migurdia
Additional Tags:
Personal GrowthGrowing UpReincarnationToji Finally Gets a FamilyToji Keeps His RestrictionAnd most importantlyToji Loves His SonBig thanks to chat GPT for proof reading!
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:2025-04-25Updated:2026-08-13Words:60,187Chapters:13/?Comments:47Kudos:116Bookmarks:28Hits:3,995
A Jobless Assassin's Reincarnation
Papaflimzy
Chapter 5: Castle Days
Notes:
Hello everyone. I've been focusing on this story for a while and have made some good progress, praise the Lord. I'll say more at the end—hope you enjoy :)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
After Ghislaine's arrival, everything settled fast.
The culprits were hauled off—the ones still breathing, anyway—and Eris was finally freed from the disgusting box she'd been stuffed into.
The looks on everyone's faces were priceless.
As Ghislaine lifted her out, Eris's head came into view, and Philip's usually stoic mask cracked for the second time that day.
"Oh my…"
On top of being soaked in filth and rum, her head was completely bald.
Toji shook his head.
"Yeah, forgot to mention they did that."
Every set of eyes turned toward him.
"You're going to explain all this, I hope," Philip said, already regaining his composure.
Toji nodded—though the corners of his mouth refused to stop twitching.
"Ahem. Well…" He raised an eyebrow. "I suppose we'll also be discussing our reward then, yeah?"
…
Three days later
"I told you I don't need to learn it!"
"But Lady Eris, it's impor—"
"I said I don't need it! I don't, I don't, I don't!"
With a heavy sigh, Toji pushed his earplugs back in.
"Here we go again…"
For the past couple days, Sylphy had been doing her absolute best to wrangle the princess—a task only marginally easier than taming a wild boar. Eris wasn't just spoiled; she had full-blown princess syndrome. Pair that with her natural aggression and you got a true delinquent.
"Leave me alone, you filthy Superd! That green hair makes me sick!"
All expected behavior.
When Toji made the deal with Philip, he knew the real challenge wouldn't be the rescue—it would be breaking Eris down enough for her to actually learn.
Which was why he'd devised a new strategy.
In his experience, nothing humbled a proud, stuck-up brat faster than being outclassed by someone they considered beneath them.
And Sylphy fit the bill perfectly. Younger, shorter, green-haired, and quiet. The perfect target.
So when the "kidnappers" shaved Eris bald and Sylphy ended up as her teacher—it all lined up.
Learning would happen. Just… not the traditional way.
"Well, at least I have hair!" Sylphy snapped.
"I'll kill you!"
Before Eris could launch herself across the desk, a firm hand hooked her collar and reeled her back.
"Calm down," Ghislaine sighed, having done this ten times since breakfast alone.
"I swear I'll kill—!"
Ghislaine slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Lady Eris. You know what happens now, right?"
Eris wasn't listening; she was locked onto Sylphy like a feral cat tracking prey.
With a sigh deeper than the ocean, Ghislaine flipped her over her shoulder like a sack of grain.
Even with earplugs, Toji could hear the follow-up lesson:
"Answer Miss Sylphy's question. If two customers bought three apples each, how many are left?"
"Who cares!"
SMACK.
"Agh! I don't care—!"
SMACK.
And that had been the routine for three straight days.
Toji leaned back, eyes drifting shut as he wondered what dinner would be like tonight. Hopefully something with meat.
"Are you sure this is working?"
He opened one eye. Sylphy hovered over him, worry written all over her face.
"Give it time," he said, pushing her forehead back with one finger. "She's not gonna improve overnight."
Sylphy puffed out her cheeks, still anxious.
"But all the stuff I'm saying… Isn't she going to actually do something to me?"
He shook his head.
"Not while me or Ghislaine are around."
"But what if you're not?" she whispered.
Toji lifted an eyebrow.
"When aren't we? Our rooms literally share a door. If she tries anything, I'll knock her out."
Sylphy bit her lip.
"But… what if she finds me while you're in the bathroom on one side of the castle, and I'm in the bathroom on the other side, and Miss Ghislaine is—"
Toji just stared.
"Why would we all be in the bathrooms on opposite ends of the castle at the same time?"
He sat up.
"And aren't you forgetting you're a Saint-class water mage? If she tries anything, just set her on fire like you did the guards."
Sylphy's face went bright red.
"B-But I can't use magic on Lady Eris! I'll get in trouble—and you will too!"
Toji paused, tone shifting.
"Don't put this job before your safety," he said quietly but firmly. "If she seriously hurts you, I'll kill her, and then we'll really be in trouble."
Sylphy gasped.
"Rudy! Don't say things like that! What if someone hears?!"
He shook his head.
"Look, Sylph. I'm only here for you. I know I messed that up before… but if anything happens, I'm on your side. Always."
He rested his hands on her shoulders.
"Even if you murder her tonight, I'll help you hide the body and skip town. So please—don't put this job above yourself."
Her eyes widened.
"I—I… okay…"
She turned away, cheeks pink.
Toji held her gaze a moment longer, then let go and stretched.
"Alright. Back to work."
Right on cue, Ghislaine kicked the door open and held Eris out in front of her like a misbehaving cat.
"Alright. She finally answered."
Before stepping out, Sylphy glanced back at Toji.
"…Unfair," she muttered softly—too softly for even him to hear.
…
Time moved on—slowly, but it moved.
Weeks passed, then months.
Life at the castle was… interesting, even outside of lessons.
Meals were always an ordeal. Having all the Greyrats at one table was like cramming a herd of elephants into an elevator. Suffocating didn't begin to cover it.
Big personalities clashed over the most mundane things, and every one of them seemed to have a personal vendetta against Toji.
Philip kept trying to drag him into shady side deals.
Hilda, Eris's mother, stared at him like he'd desecrated her ancestors.
And towering above all—both literally and metaphorically—was Sauros.
"ERIS! SIT DOWN AND SHOW RESPECT TO YOUR TUTOR, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
That voice could shatter cathedral windows.
"Yes, Grandfather…" she muttered, staring holes into Sylphy.
"WHAT WAS THAT?! I DIDN'T HEAR YOU!"
"Yes, Grandfather!"
She nearly snapped in half trying to sit straighter.
Toji adjusted to the madness faster than expected.
"So, how are the lessons coming along?" Sauros asked, downing wine like water.
"Good," Toji said. "The preliminary method is showing progress."
"How so?"
Toji gestured at Sylphy. "During her last tantrum, did Lady Eris call her a Superd even once?"
Sauros blinked. "Hmm… no, she didn't."
He slammed his hand on the table, rattling every dish.
"Amazing! My little Eris is finally learning manners!"
Toji smiled like the perfect tutor. "Her math and writing are improving too."
"Is that so?"
"Test her yourself, but nothing complicated."
Sauros looked at Eris. She straightened instantly.
"What's four plus eight?"
Eris hesitated, finger-counted under the table, then blurted:
"Twelve!"
Sauros shot to his feet.
"Splendid! She can count past ten now!"
Toji clapped, prompting everyone else to follow.
"Congratulations," he said aloud.
'I'm so done with this,' he thought.
Eris basked like she'd solved world hunger, Sylphy scribbled notes, and Philip gave Toji a look that said, 'I can profit off you.'
By the time dinner ended, Toji was ready for bed.
As he slipped away, Hilda directed a razor-sharp glare at him. He met her eyes, and she looked away with a huff.
"For real… why is everyone in this house insane?" he muttered.
He wanted nothing more than for everyone to go to bed, but Sylphy was almost certainly going to ambush him with lesson questions again. She'd somehow appointed him her planning assistant—without his consent.
Normally he humored her.
But tonight?
Tonight he wanted no part of it.
He had a date.
…
Dropping from his window, Toji fell four stories and landed without a sound.
Dusting off his cloak, he checked the moonlit courtyard. A pair of guards strolled by, so he stepped backward into the castle's shadow and pulled up his hood.
After weaving through courtyards and walkways, he slipped into an open square—
"I've been waiting."
Looking up, he spotted Ghislaine sprawled across an awning that shaded a bench.
"Sorry," he said. "Took longer than I thought to get Sylphy to bed."
She shrugged and yawned.
"I was about to go to bed myself if you took any longer."
Dropping down, she stretched. Toji watched for a second before quickly pulling his sword from under his cloak to wipe it down.
Now, someone might ask:
'Why only now? Didn't they agree to duel over a month ago?'
Well yes. But there was a tiny problem.
Toji refused to leave Sylphy alone in case the crazy bitch princess actually tried something. And she already had during the first week, so Toji had been extra cautious since.
So why now, then?
The answer: Eris's birthday.
She was turning ten in six months, and her parents wanted her to perform a dance at the ball, so they gave her a dress in advance and assigned her a tutor.
She immediately threw a tantrum and shredded it since she hated the whole idea.
Normally, that wouldn't be a big deal, but what nobody told her was that her grandfather had picked it out from her grandmother's old things.
Understandably, he was furious.
Toji still remembered every window in the castle shattering from his roar.
Eris was instantly grounded and confined to a tiny room with her dance instructor. Unless she was eating or in lessons, she couldn't leave.
That punishment would stay until the birthday was over or until Sauros calmed down, whichever came first.
It was during this blessed period of forced containment that Toji finally approached Ghislaine about their duel.
Ghislaine chose the place and time, and it just so happened to be perfectly aligned with Toji's preferences. He didn't want anyone discovering his strength anyway, and he made sure they agreed to keep the duel secret.
So, for all intents and purposes, this duel didn't exist.
Finished cleaning his blade, he stretched while Ghislaine took her place on the opposite side of the yard.
He felt his pulse quicken.
'Damn, I'm hyped for this,' he thought, the corners of his mouth turning upward.
This would be the first real fight he'd had in over seven years.
As much as he enjoyed the quiet village life, a small part of him missed the thrill of a real battle.
And more importantly, he wanted to know exactly where he stood in this world's power scale.
'Fighting someone at the top's the fastest way to find out.'
Once they were both done preparing, they drew their weapons and faced each other.
"Since there's no one here to give a signal," Ghislaine said, rolling her shoulders, "come at me whenever you like."
And just like that, every bit of excitement vanished.
In its place was the cold, calculating focus he'd honed through years of killing sorcerers and curses alike.
He inhaled slowly. His grip tightened around the hilt.
Then he vanished.
CLANG!
…
Leaning back, Toji let out a long yawn.
"Rudy, are you tired?"
Opening one eye, he looked up at Sylphy.
He was sprawled across the classroom window frame, using the lunch break for a quick nap.
"Yeah. Didn't sleep much last night."
"Why?"
He thought for a second, then shrugged.
"Guess I was too excited. You remember what Philip told us."
Sylphy flinched.
"Oh… right. Her party."
He snorted.
"Yeah. Her."
Watching Sylphy teach Eris these past months had been… entertaining.
Awkward at first — she was pretty much parroting everything he'd told her — but eventually it started sticking. Now she wasn't scared to clap back or throw a little magic around when Eris got too wild.
But what he found funny was how she acted after being brave.
"Oh no… do you think I'll get in trouble for calling her a ginger?"
Every day she spiraled. Every day nothing happened. And every day she spiraled again.
With her hands over her face, she peeked at him through her fingers.
"Why is your hand wrapped up like that?"
He flexed his bandaged fist.
"Mmm. Cut myself. Nothing serious."
His mind drifted.
CLANG.
"Is that all you've got!?" he'd shouted, more to provoke her than anything.
Crouching low, he sprung in for an upward swing.
She moved to deflect it immediately.
She hadn't counterattacked once since the start of the duel, probably to humiliate him.
But that worked to his advantage.
One of the most important rules of battle was to never show your enemy your full hand, which is why he'd been deliberately holding back.
He was waiting for this exact moment.
At the last second he sped up, causing her eyes to widen.
Instead of deflecting his blade, he deflected hers.
In that small opening he drove his shoulder into her stomach, intent on knocking her back.
But it felt like he hit a boulder.
Quickly, he pulled back.
But it was too late, her sword was already cutting toward his chest.
"The hell!?" he'd exclaimed, catching the blade with his bare hand. "What are you made of!?"
Ghislaine smirked, wiping the blood off on her arm.
"Clever," she'd said. "But nowhere near enough."
Toji's eyes had gone wide.
Then he'd grinned like a maniac.
…
Letting out another sigh, he shut his eyes.
Just thinking about last night made his pulse pick up.
"I'm gonna nap," he mumbled. "Wake me when she's back. Actually—" He waved a hand. "Forget it. I'll know."
Seeing he was done talking, Sylphy wandered off, noticeably disappointed.
…
A few weeks later, Sylphy came to him in a rush.
"Rudy!"
He looked up from his work.
He was currently sharpening his sword.
"Huh?"
She ran up to him and started jumping.
"The dance teacher lady just came to me and asked if she could have more time with Lady Eris from now on! I said yes, so now we have some free time!"
He blinked.
"Wait, why?"
This was random.
"Because apparently Lady Eris is having trouble with dance lessons, and they want her to be ready for her party."
He looked back at his sword.
"Ah, that makes sense. So what do you plan on doing with the time?"
She tapped her chin.
"Well, miss Ghislaine came to me a while ago and asked if I could teach her magic. I had to say no since I didn't have the time, but now I can do that and make some more money!"
He nodded.
"Tutoring on the side. Not a bad plan."
"What are you gonna do?" She asked.
He paused.
"Well, I don't know yet, but I'll find something."
Sylphy skipped off and he turned back to his work.
…
BAM! BOOM!
Toji was blasted backward, skidding across the floor before slamming against the wall. He barely had time to duck before Ghislaine's boot cratered the stone right where his head had been.
"Shit! You broke it!" he yelped, already panicking at the thought of guards storming in.
Ghislaine yanked her foot free as if she hadn't just dented solid castle masonry.
"Relax. We have earth mages on standby for repairs like this."
Toji let out a shaky breath.
"Good… I really don't want another run-in with the guards."
Their duels had become a regular thing lately—three times just this week—and subtle they were not. The guards had busted them once already, but fortunately they were acquaintances of Ghislaine and let it slide… under the condition that things didn't escalate too far.
She rolled her shoulders. "Besides that, you're getting better."
He snorted. "Well, I'm getting used to the speed."
Through these constant beatdowns, Toji had finally figured out where he stood.
Advanced-class swordsman.
Not bad for someone with zero mana and seven years of rust. Honestly? It was ridiculous. Even Ghislaine had acknowledged it.
"If only you had battle aura," she said with a faint sigh.
He chuckled. "Give me a few years. I'm only seven, remember?"
She nodded thoughtfully. "If you keep this pace, you might even reach Saint class in your prime."
His eyebrow twitched. "Not King? You holding back because you don't want to admit I'll surpass you?"
She shook her head, dead serious.
"I'm not downplaying you. You don't understand how much praise it is to say you could reach Saint." She drew her sword, admiring the reflection in the blade. "It took me years—and more near-death battles than I can count—to climb that far."
The blade lowered.
"But the realm beyond Saint is different." Her eyes met his. "That's where the gifted separate from the merely talented."
Toji's eyes narrowed.
She sheathed her sword and turned away.
"I think that's enough for today."
He scowled. "What? Why? We still have ten minutes!"
"No." She didn't look back. "You need to think about what I said."
She walked toward the exit.
"To become a Sword King, you must be acknowledged by the Sword God. As far as I know… I am the only one in our school with that title."
Toji stood there, feeling painfully unsatisfied—but what could he do?
With nothing left to fight, he trudged back to his room.
…
From that point on, Ghislaine started showing up less and less for their duels.
At first, he thought it was because of what she'd told him—that whole speech about talent, gifts, and being acknowledged by the Sword God.
But it didn't take long to realize the truth:
She was just getting bored.
He wasn't progressing anymore. Not in technique, not in speed, not in strength. For the first time since they started, Toji felt the stagnation hanging over him like a weight.
Maybe she wanted him to train on his own now.
Or maybe she thought he'd hit his limit.
He wasn't sure.
But whatever her reason was, it lit a fire under him all the same.
If she didn't want to show up anymore? Fine.
He'd reach King class anyway.
He'd get there with or without her help.
And he'd do it before his time in this city was over.
…
"And this section has books from other continents."
A few weeks later—after some half-baked self-training and a lot of brooding—he remembered that books existed.
Toji followed behind Philip, who was giving him an unnecessarily grand tour of the castle library. It had been ages since he'd actually sat down and read anything, so he figured he might as well dig around for something useful on swordsmanship.
He grabbed a random book off the shelf, flipped it open, and stared at the strange lettering like it had personally offended him.
"What language is this?" he asked, rotating the book as if that would help.
Philip leaned over, humming thoughtfully.
"That's Beast-God. Does it interest you?"
Toji raised a brow.
"Is it a common language?"
Philip tapped his chin.
"Well, it's used by most beast races, so I'd say it's fairly common."
Toji narrowed his eyes, thinking it over.
'Might be worth learning. At least in my spare time.'
In his previous life, learning multiple languages had been mandatory. Depending on the job, one week he could be deep in the Congo, the next he might be somewhere in Africa—if the pay was good enough. Picking up another language here wouldn't kill him.
"I think I might try learning it," he said, snapping the book shut.
Philip chuckled.
"Good choice! Knowing Beast-God will make it far easier to hire beastfolk."
Toji sighed internally.
'Why is everyone here so obsessed with beastfolk?'
It wasn't like he hadn't noticed the ridiculous number of them working around the estate. His very first introduction had involved a rabbit-eared butler pouring him a cup of juice.
…
From that point on, Toji began rigorously studying every combat manual and foreign-language text he could get his hands on. Whenever he stumbled across a new language, he tossed it onto the growing pile without hesitation.
Within a week or two, he hit a wall.
Learning one language was tough. Learning three at the same time was damn near impossible—even for him.
He wasn't even aiming for fluency, just the essential phrases. But each language had its own structure, its own alphabet, its own infuriating quirks. The words started blending together in his head until everything became a scrambled mess of consonants and stress-marks.
His mounting frustration finally boiled over in class.
Sylphy was in the middle of arguing with Eris—again—about the importance of math for the hundred-millionth time, when Toji suddenly slammed his forehead onto his desk.
'How am I this stupid?! Was Ghislaine right? Am I just some regular nobody?'
He let out a long, defeated sigh.
A gentle tap on his shoulder pulled him out of his spiral.
When he lifted his head, Sylphy was standing in front of him with a worried expression.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
He shook his head. "It's nothing. Just… getting a little frustrated."
"With what?"
He went quiet for a moment, debating whether it was even worth explaining. But eventually he shrugged and told her—about the languages, the manuals, the mess in his head, all of it.
Sylphy listened for a moment, then offered the simplest solution imaginable.
"Why don't you just ask Teacher?"
He blinked. "How? I don't even know where she is."
Sylphy tilted her head, as if the answer should've been obvious.
"Oh, I know where she is. I write her letters all the time!"
Toji stared at her, stunned.
"You've known all this time!?"
She nodded cheerfully. "Yeah! I just asked Auntie, and she figured it out."
"And you never bothered telling me!?" he burst out, standing so fast his chair scraped.
Sylphy shrugged. "I didn't think you cared."
He just stared at her, mouth slightly open, before collapsing back into his seat.
"Right… okay. Well—yeah. Can you give me her address?"
…
That night, he sent a letter.
He explained every problem he was having with the languages, asked for guidance, and hoped she'd respond.
He had no idea if she would.
But for the first time in weeks, he felt a spark of actual hope.
So he waited.
…
More time passed.
Eris's birthday was drawing closer, and the whole castle seemed to buzz with anticipation.
Toji kept doing his best to learn, but eventually realized he was overwhelming himself with too much at once.
He scaled back. Now he focused solely on the Beast-God language, with Ghislaine helping him whenever she had time—something Sylphy pointed out was only natural, considering Ghislaine was a beast-kin.
Progress wasn't as fast as he wanted, but he could now manage simple phrases.
His self-study of the sword styles went just as slowly.
He'd picked up a basic understanding of each one—more than what his father taught him—though he still thought they looked ridiculous. But after reading a few introductory texts, he finally understood why every movement mattered in the flow of mana.
Mana was at the center of everything.
No sword style, spell, or technique functioned without it.
That realization had given him more than a few migraines, because it also meant he couldn't move past the Advanced stage.
'Ghislaine really did give a compliment,' he sighed, snapping his notebook shut.
Knock knock knock.
"Come in!" he called, turning toward the door.
"Excuse me, Master Rudius. A package for you."
A maid hurried in, set a large wooden box on his bed, and quickly left.
He opened it. Inside was a thick book and a wrapped letter.
"Oh, it's from Roxy!" He lit up immediately.
He unrolled the letter and began reading.
"Hello, Rudy. I was surprised that you reached out to me—it's been too long. Sylphy's kept me up to date on everything you two have been up to. My jaw nearly dropped when I heard you both became the tutors for the Lord of Roa's granddaughter. I can't believe you're already eight; it seems like just yesterday you were that five-year-old boy sleeping in your mother's tree.
Also, I wanted to thank you for helping Sylphy like you have. From the letters I've received, I can tell she's having an amazing time and really appreciates having you there. She's a kind girl and deserves the best, but she's not the most confident. I knew you would have taken care of her regardless, but it truly is comforting to know you're with her.
As of now, I'm staying in the city of Shirone, currently hired as the third prince's personal tutor. While there are many things I could say regarding my situation, I'll leave it at that.
Now, regarding your request. I'm excited to hear about your interest in foreign languages. I still remember the years I spent becoming fluent in the common tongue, and it delights me to learn you're taking the same journey. While I lack the knowledge to help you with everything, I want to assist you in any way I can, so I've decided to write down all of my knowledge on Demon-God, my native tongue, in a textbook in the hopes that you find it useful.
And about your learning troubles—don't get discouraged by failure. I still remember the sleepless nights I had trying to learn. The frustration and feelings of hopelessness are perfectly normal and should be considered with pride, as the only times such emotions arise are during periods of growth. And just as growing pains signal the growth of one's body, so too do such emotions signal the growth of one's spirit. Don't let the pain dissuade you. I know you can do it, Rudy! If anyone can, it's you.
—Roxy"
Tilting his head back, he let out a deep breath.
"Damn, that was cheesy…"
It was exactly the kind of letter he expected, honestly, but why did it affect him so much?
Maybe it was because he hadn't heard from her in years, or perhaps he was just tired.
He had to take a few more breaths to cool the heat building behind his eyes.
"Ho… alright," he sighed, picking up the textbook.
Flipping through the pages, he found alphabet sheets, commentaries, and helpful little doodles around the edges.
"You shouldn't have," he chuckled, a strange warmth spreading through him, like Roxy was in the room with him.
He flipped through the pages for a while, holding onto that feeling as long as he could.
…
His progress in the Demon-God tongue skyrocketed after that.
Roxy's textbook was exactly what he needed.
No longer was he forced to skim through dense paragraphs from random books he found; now he had a proper guide.
After only two months, he was able to read some of the less complex texts with relative ease.
"Is this normal?" he wondered one night.
Resting his head on his fist, he leaned lazily over his desk.
"Two months and I'm already this far… Am I a genius or something?"
His progress was insane by normal standards.
"Maybe it's because I'm in a child's body. I did hear kids' brains pick up this stuff really fast."
He shrugged.
"Eh, no use thinking about it. Let's just enjoy it while it lasts."
Leaning back, he let out a long yawn as he stretched.
"I better go to bed soon. Gonna be a long day tomorrow."
Tomorrow, he planned on experimenting with the Water-God style.
…
The day was fast approaching, and the castle's buzz had turned into a roar as servants dashed around preparing for tomorrow's event.
The afternoon passed as normal, though Eris only had half a lesson since her dance instructor wanted as much time with her as possible.
Walking through the halls toward his room, Toji heard a set of light footsteps rushing up behind him.
"Rudy!"
Turning, he saw Sylphy waving at him, a small pouch clutched in her hands.
"Rudy, look what I've got!"
…
That evening
"What do you think about this one?"
He shrugged.
"I think it's just as good as the last one."
Sylphy puffed her cheeks and put the dress back.
"Come on, can't you at least try to be helpful? We still have to get your suit after this too, you know. You're just making this take longer."
Toji dragged both hands down his face.
"Ugh…"
This had been going on for over an hour. His suit had already been picked out, so he was just waiting for Sylphy to make up her mind.
Philip had given them a handful of silver coins and told them to find something presentable at the tailor. Toji was thrilled at first—get in, get out, maybe even find something fun to do after.
Little did he know he was about to enter a new circle of hell.
"Tell me what you think."
Toji lifted his head half an inch.
"It's good."
"You're just saying that."
'Then why ask?!' he screamed internally.
This repeated for another ten minutes before an idea finally hit him.
"Here—this one's your size. Try it on."
Sylphy's eyes lit up instantly.
"Okay! That's a great idea!"
After speaking with the shop owner, she slipped into the dressing room.
Toji leaned back, closing his eyes with bated breath.
'Alright, don't screw this up. You get one chance.'
The door creaked open.
"What do you think?" she asked quietly.
He opened his eyes.
A very shy half-elf stood in front of him.
The gown was a simple white, with red roses embroidered across the chest and skirt. He hadn't put much thought into it when he grabbed it, but it ended up suiting her perfectly.
"I think it's beautiful," he said, giving her his best smile.
She turned away immediately, cheeks flushed pink.
"Mmm… well, I still have a few others I wanted to try."
He collapsed to his knees.
"Whyyyyyy?!"
…
After another thirty minutes of agony, Sylphy finally settled on a dress.
He was basically unconscious on the waiting bench, so he didn't see which one—and honestly, he didn't care anymore.
"Are you ready to go?" she asked, holding a white shopping bag.
The moment the words left her mouth, he vanished.
The jingle of the shop bell was the only sign he had passed through.
…
Once Sylphy finally caught up to him, the two spent a few hours walking around the market district.
Even with the suit and dress purchase, they still had plenty of coins left.
"You wanna get something to eat?" He asked, looking at the many different food stalls along the road.
Sylphy seemed to jump.
"Y-Yea, that sounds good!" She exclaimed, a bit too forceful.
Toji gave her the side eye.
"What's gotten into you? You're acting strange."
Sylphy looked away.
"Well, I'm just a little nervous."
He tilted his head.
"Why? This is the first time we've been outside the castle alone, shouldn't you be relieved that Eris can't reach you?"
She muttered something under her breath before responding.
"I just had a realization is all, don't worry about it."
Toji looked at her again.
'Realization… what the hell is she talking about?'
"Alright…" he responded, confused.
From there, they visited several vendors, sampling the various cuisines.
Once they were full, they took their time and explored, discovering a small canal that ran through part of the city.
Sitting on the sloped edge, they watched as the sun set under the city wall.
"It's so beautiful." Sylphy commented, lifting her hand to catch the last few rays of sunlight.
"True, true." Toji sighed, falling back and staring up at the sky.
The brighter stars were just beginning to peek through.
"I really needed this."
Sylphy glanced down at him with an odd look.
His eyes met hers.
With a slight jump, she turned away.
"…"
'Alright, this is starting to bug me.'
Was she mad? Did he do something wrong?
"Do you have a problem with me?" He asked bluntly, albeit slightly hostile.
She looked back, confused.
"No. Why would you think that?"
His expression turned pensive.
"I don't know, you just haven't been acting normal since the tailor, and I was wondering if I made you mad or something."
She shook her head.
"No, not at all."
"Then why do you keep flinching every time I look at you? I don't get it."
She froze suddenly, her ears turning red.
"Well- um… I guess I was just worried you'd say something mean like always haha!" She replied with a forced laugh.
"Ough!"
She suddenly started hitting him in the chest, causing him to curl up.
"You always try to make fun of me, you dummy, why wouldn't I be nervous!"
Jumping up, she stretched,
"Anyway, let's go back now, I'm getting tired!"
As she turned to leave, she glanced back.
He was still in a ball, holding his abdomen.
"Um… are you okay?"
He shook his head.
"I think you hit my liver."
She looked confused.
"Is that bad?"
He shook his head.
"I don't know, but it hurts a lot. I think I might need a healer."
Now she looked worried.
Crouching down, she began to fuss over him.
"R-Really?! What do you want me to do? Should I go and get some-"
Thwack!
"Ow!"
Falling back, she held her forehead.
"Why did you flick me?" She cried, rubbing the spot.
He sat up.
"You hit me in that tender spot right between the ribs. That doesn't feel good, you know!"
She stared at him, teary eyed.
"You scared me! I thought you were really hurt!"
He started laughing.
"In what world do you think your little fists are going to hurt me? Ghislaine would have a hard time, let alone you."
She frowned at him.
"You're so mean!"
Notes:
Boy oh boy, I think you're going to love how the party goes. I'm trying to keep things close to canon, but I also like putting my own spin on events—and you'll see exactly what I mean next chapter. One of the funniest parts to me is that Toji never thought to contact Roxy beforehand. It feels a little stupid on the surface, but I think it fits, considering he struggled to remember his own kid's name. Those kinds of small, dumb oversights are what make him feel so relatable to me. Anyway, have a blessed day :D
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